Oyster-dredging chock



W.- C. TODD May 27 1924.

OYSTER DREDGING CHOCK Filed April 25, 1923 Patented May 27, 1924.

WILLIAM o. moim, 'or CHANCE MARYLAND.

o sT R-nREDGING CHUCK.

Applicatdn filed April 25, 1923. Serial Ne. 634,435.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, TVILLI M C. TODD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chance, in the county of Somerset and State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oyster- Dredging Chocks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to oyster-dredging checks.

Among the objects of my invention are To produce a roller chock for oyster dredging apparatus, the length of which shall be great with respect to its diameter, and so arranged that the dredge rope can assume any position thereon, thereby eliminating the undue Stress resulting when said rope is confined to a single groove as has heretofore been the case with previous chocks.

To produce a roller chock for oyster dredging apparatus so constituted that the dredge rope maintains operative relation therewith during the act of dredging, regardless of the movement of the dredge, or of the vessel.

To produce a roller chock for oyster dredging apparatus that is cheap to manufacture and which may be quickly and easily applied to vessels.

In the drawingsz- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a vessel equipped with my improved roller chock.

Fig. 2 is a section along the line 2-2 in Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal section of my improved roller chock.

In the drawings:-

10 represents a vessel provided with the usual side rail 11. The rail 11 is cut away at a convenient point in order to accommodate a roller 12, said roller being mounted near the top of the deck 13 and partly overhanging the water, as shown in Fig. 2. A winding drum 14 is mounted in any approved manner on the deck 13, as is also a standard 15 to which is attached a pulley 16, the latter being somewhat higher in elevation than said drum. The drum 13 is revolved in any appoved manner. A dredge rope 17 is coiled around the drum 14, passing thence over the pulley 16 and roller chock 18, respectively, and extending to the dredge, not shown. i

The'roller chock 18 is'positioned at the 'side of the vessel so as to overlap one end of the roller 12 (see Fi-g. 1), and the `aXis of said chock is inclined to the vessels freeboard, the upper end of said chock being further therefrom than the lower end for purposes hereinafter explained. The chock 18 consists of a revolving element 19 which is provided with a hole 20 and with a shoulder 21 at its upper end. The element 19 is further bored out' at each end for the reception of sleeves, such as 22, in which roller bearings, such as 23, are fitted. A shaft 2 1 provided with a head 25 passes through the hole 20 in the revolving element 19.

v The chock 18 is supported at its lower end by the bracket 26 attached to the side of the vessel, and at its upper end by the arm 27 mounted in any approved manner at the side of the vessel. The shaft 24 passing through the arm 27, the revolving element 19 and the bracket 26 secures the chock in position, thrust bearings such as 28 being placed between the element 19, the bracket 26 and the arm 27.

The operation of my improved roller chock is as follows:-

Oysters are dredged while the vessel is under way, the dredge being dragged along the oyster bed by means of a rope attached to the drum 14. The rope 17 passes from the dredge, not shown, over the roller chock 18 and thence over the pulley 16 to the winding drum 14. The inclination of the chock 18 provided for an efficient reception of the dredge rope 17 from the pulley 16, and the shoulder 21 prevents said rope from slipping over the top end of said chock.

It will be further noted that by reason of the length of the chock 18, the rope 17 can adjust itself to all vertical movements of the dredge, due to the unevenness of the mo oyster bed, and to movements of the vessel without undue stress upon said rope.

In the operation of drawing the dredge to the side of the vessel, preparatory to unloading the oysters on board the vessel, the rope 17 is at all times in engagement with a smooth, rotatable surface, both on the chock 18 and on the roller 12, said rope Contacting with said roller near the latter part of the movement of the dredge. 1

These characteristics of my improved roller chock therefore elimnate the undue strain on the dredge rope, caused When the latter is confined to a single groove as in chocks heretotore used.

Furthermore, the fraying of the rope occasoned by passing over the sharp edges of the single groove roller used in former checks, in the event that said rope is jolted from said groove, is prevented.

lVhile I have shown one preferred arrangement of my improved check, it is to be unde'stood that changes may be made in the Construction of the chock and in its arrangement relative to the Vessel Without departng from the spirit of my invention.

I claim In a check for an oyster dredgng vessel, the combination of a roller, long With respect to its diameter, mounted at the side of said vessel and comprsng a shoulder adjacent the uppcr end thereof, the aXis of said roller lying in a plane substantally normal to the freeboard of said Vessel With the shoulder end of said roller disposed out- Wardly from said freeboard, and a second roller mountecl adjacent to and on the inboard side of said first named roller.

In testimony Whereof, I afix my signature.

WILLIAM C. TODD. 

